Back to selection
50267-01 - Seminar: Current Topics in Social Science Based on Sustainability Research (3 CP)
| Semester | fall semester 2026 |
| Course frequency | Irregular |
| Lecturers | Adam Hearn (adam.hearn@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | Sustainability research in the social sciences is a rapidly developing field that covers a broad range of debates within and across various disciplines and problem areas. This poses a huge challenge to keep track of “what is going on?”, to filter interesting topics and cope with the complexity of different contributions. Furthermore, there is a growing demand for social scientists to improve science communication, that is, condensing scientific results to comprehensible information, e.g. in the state-of-the-art section of a master thesis. In a lab setting, the students will systematically identify and engage with a current topic of social science-based sustainability research based on the method of systematic literature reviews. The students: - search and select current topics, and they further elaborate these topics in literature reviews; - discuss empirical, theoretical, methodological and practical issues concerning current topics; - present and discuss the developed topics orally and in written form. |
| Learning objectives | By the end of the semester the participants will have acquired competencies and skills necessary to disclose current topics of social science based sustainability research. Specifically, they will know how to set up systematic search strategies to find and delimitate relevant and current topics; how to elaborate the state of discussion in a given field; and how to specify knowledge gaps. Furthermore, they will learn how to summarize debates about current sustainability issues. |
| Bibliography | Tba during the seminar. |
| Comments | Please note entry requirements. For details see section "admission requirements". MSD 2017 For students with focus area in social sciences the seminar is mandatory for the published module. All other students from the MSD (both curricula) can accredit the seminar with a Learning Agreement for the FASR module (MSD 2017); or for the "Electives" module (MSD 2026). This seminar is offered by the MSD. Dr. Adam Hearn is a post doc of the Sustainability Research Group, Dep. of Social Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. A. Hearn helds a teaching assignment. |
| Admission requirements | Limited number of participants (25). Students of the MSD (incl. preparation semester) and IJDSD have a first priority. Students of the listed programs (see list of modules) have a second priority. If you study something different you must do a master's degree within the Department of Social Sciences/Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and may attend the seminar in case of vacancies (= third priority). We recommend that non-MSD (excl. JIDSD) students have already taken one of the following lectures (= credit points already acquired) during a former semester: - 11513: Sustainability: A new Societal Paradigm? - 41829: Perspectives of Social Sciences on Sustainability. If you have not passed either of these classes, you must contact the lecturer until the first day of the teaching period, i.e. in fall semester 2026 until 14. September 2026 at the latest to assess if you have sufficient background knowledge to be admitted. MSD students (both curricula) MSD students who have chosen the focus area (MSD 2017)/(without) major (MSD 2026) in natural sciences or in economics (and management) must more or less have completed the “Complementary Knowledge in Social Sciences” module. |
| Course application | Course enrollment on online services should be completed by the beginning of the teaching period, at the latest until 14. September 2026. Withdrawal is possible until Monday of teaching week five. Please note entry requirements. For details see section "admission requirements". |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Monday | 12.15-14.00 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Kleiner Seminarraum 02.001 |
Dates
| Modules |
Module: Preparation Master's Thesis in Social Sciences (Master's Studies: Sustainable Development (Start of studies before 01.08.2026)) Module: Resources and Sustainability (Master's degree program: Changing Societies: Migration – Conflicts – Resources (Start of studies before 01.08.2026)) Specialization Module Global Europe: Environment and Sustainability (Master's Studies: European Global Studies) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | Compulsory attendance in presence, required readings, oral presentation, essay. Details according to information of lecturer. |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration, dereg: cancel course registration |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | 1-6 0,1 |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | University of Basel |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Nachhaltigkeitsforschung |